Wounded Writers Ask – Free Write #6 – Love Don’t Mean

Eloise Greenfield’s (1978) Honey, I Love is an oldie but a goodie. It includes many short poems but “Love Don’t Mean” is by far my favourite from this small yet powerful collection, probably for its simplicity.

Love don’t mean all that kissing
Like on television
Love means Daddy
Saying keep your mama company
till I get back
And me doing it

Now You Try: In 8 lines or less, write your own love don’t mean poem.

I wrote this one by hand on paper at the breakfast diner this morning. Poetry flows out of me through my hand and moving pen…the ink on the paper is meaningful and freeing. I loved writing this poem! And, as you can see, I wrote more than 8 lines…I filled the pages for 15 minutes of writing and thinking time. No wicket from a word well today. Except, maybe, the word love.

Here is it…easier to read:

Love don’t mean

falling

into oblivion

it means strengthening

my arms to catch you

it means lifting you up so you

can walk your fine walk

Love don’t mean

being blinded by the lust

it means looking at

the words on your skin

it means reading your story

telling it back to you

making revisions together

Love don’t mean

a sparkling clean house

it means leave the dishes and the dust

it means the stories are

in the beautiful messes

Love don’t mean

anger heavy sleeps

it means up all night

with the tears and the stars

figuring out the reasons

Love don’t mean

loads of money

it means taking care with

intelligence generosity and care

it means spending for the

betterment of all

Love don’t mean

work till you dry up

it means keeping the dreams

soaked with passion and patience

so our souls stay ripe with life

Love don’t mean

the truth don’t hurt

it means lies have no place

in this home

it means mistakes are as

constant and real as the sun

Love don’t mean

we lose our selves

it means we join forces so our lungs

breathe deeper

it means practice makes the

heart grow fonder

Love don’t mean

forgiveness is a foreigner

it means the doors is open

the flood gates too

it means unconditional

all the time

Love don’t mean

the dancing should stop

it means each surface is a dance floor

it means this my body

moving to our song

*************

I’m actually really proud of this one! I’ll put it in my new poetry manuscript.